More on the 'You Tube hack'

Jason sent me this link regarding the "You Tube hack" this afternoon. It explains what strings you can setup after the URL to turn the You Tube video into such formats as Flash, MP4 and perhaps others, I was at work so I couldn't see the whole thing. When you are done watching it, check out my SPMA Regionals video from last year and note the quality difference.

Before the URL change: [link] After the URL change: [link]

Spma Regionals results have been posted online

My worst event is the only one I ribboned in; how ironic. What I am pleased about is that in the 50 free I went out in a 28.48 and came back in a 59.83. That is only a 2.87 seconds difference considering the second 50 had no dive. [Link]

The SPMA Regionals video with Team SCAQ is coming along nicely!

It seems like for every minute of footage I shoot I seem to spend an hour-and-a-half or so on obsessing about each minute of the final presentation. I have learned a lot about filming swimming from this video; you either want to be filming the race from under water or from about six-feet above the water while at a 3/4 viewpoint.

Additionally, use as many cameras as possible and film everything. It turns out that the even the most boring things can be the most interesting things to watch. Like a swimmer putting on their goggles or viewing a pleasant conversation you can't hear.

Obviously a tripod is vital but; like a snail-brain, I didn't use the one had despite having brought it! Nonetheless, this video is really going to be a lot of fun to watch and I am having a lot of fun making it.

The New York Times did an article on Parry O'Brien

Here is a snippet from the NYT listing just some of his accomplishments:

"... O’Brien’s success with his new style was stunning. In 1954, two days after Roger Bannister was the first to run the mile in less than four minutes, O’Brien became the first to put the shot 60 feet. That came in the middle of a victory streak of 116 meets.

From 1953 to 1966, he broke the world record 17 times, starting with 59 feet ¾ inch and raising it to 63-3. He won 17 American titles in the shot-put and one in the discus.

In the Olympics, he won gold medals in 1952 and 1956 and a silver medal in 1960. In 1964, after he carried the American flag in the opening ceremony, he finished fourth.

In 1959, he won the Sullivan Award as the United States’ outstanding amateur athlete. He was elected to the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974 and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984. ..."

From the New York times: [Link]
From Swimming World Magazine: [Link]
From NPR from August 2004: [Link]

Regionals 3rd day: I broke a minute

I went a high 59 for the 100 free. I am elated and feel like I can do anything. Erik gave me amazing advice but like an idiot I only followed 50% of it. If I would have followed the rest of his advice, I would have done a 57 or 58 easily.

I decided it would be a really brilliant idea not to breathe for the first lap-and-a-half. By the second 50; to steal a quote form Todd, it felt like I was swimming with a piano on my back with Liberace playing a duet with Fats Domino.

Todd beat beat me in both the 50 and the 100 free but we will rematch at UCLA.

I see fast people and they don't even know that they are fast...

Cole Sear: "Swimming around like regular people. They don't see each others' times. They only see their own times. They don't know they're fast."

Malcolm Crowe "At Regionals, On TV?

Cole Sear: Everywhere! The Culver Plunge, Santa Monica College, LMU and VNSO!

Some pictures of some of my teamates at the SPMA Regionals meet

Dan Leonard is hungry off the start and effective in the drink. Dan has a fast butterfly and a really strong catch. He swam a lot of events today but he actually had the gall to laugh in my face when I requested that he be my lap counter and a bell-ringer when it was time for me to do the 50 fly. I should have drawn a mustache on his photo. Click on the image to see a larger version.

I swim with Mike occasionally at Santa Monica College and every now and then at LMU. His heart is a like a steam engine and he is formidable in all the strokes. Here he is off the blocks in the 100 Breast and I believed he ribboned or medaled. Click on the image to see a larger version.

This is what your blogger looks like with a fresh sunburn, before a shave, and the sun in his eyes. Just before I took this photo Dan ordered me to pick up my pink ribbon for finishing sixth in my 50 fly. I had no idea I placed until he told me to acknowledge the three points I scored for the team. How ironic that the event I am the most inefficient in would be the only event that I would actually get a ribbon for. Click on the image to see a larger version.